0

Selected fellows from Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mozambique, and Ghana to develop science and technology projects addressing health literacy, energy monitoring, traffic optimisation, and personalised learning.

Yango Group has announced the 2026 cohort of its Yango Fellowship programme , selecting 24 participants from more than 600 applicants across six African countries. Over 12 weeks, fellows will develop science and technology-based projects using technical skills and present them at a final Demo Day in Abidjan.

ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED: Yango AI routing saves African commuters  2m hours in 2025, boosting urban mobility efficiency

The selected fellows come from Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mozambique, and Ghana – expanding the programme’s reach from just two countries last year to six in 2026.

Focus on Artificial Intelligence Applications

This year’s programme focuses on the applied use of artificial intelligence (AI) . Participants will build solutions including:

  • Health literacy tools to improve access to medical information
  • Energy monitoring systems for efficient power management
  • Traffic optimisation models to reduce congestion
  • Personalised learning platforms supporting local languages

Programme Structure: From Problem Definition to Demo Day

The fellowship is structured in three stages:

Stage Focus
Stage 1 Problem definition and market analysis
Stage 2 Product development
Stage 3 Final presentation and Demo Day
The programme concludes with a Demo Day in Abidjan, where teams present their projects to industry experts and partners. Selected projects may receive seed funding to support minimum viable product (MVP) development.

Bridging Africa’s STEM Skills Gap

According to the World Bank, Africa faces a shortage of more than 2.5 million STEM professionals. The Yango Fellowship aims to address this gap by providing:

ADVERTISEMENT
  • Hands-on experience in real-world project developmen
  • Mentorship from industry experts
  • Project-based learning to strengthen pathways into technology careers

“The Yango Fellowship is part of our long-term investment in local technology ecosystems. By supporting early-stage talent and enabling cross-market collaboration, we aim to contribute to the development of scalable solutions that address real needs across African markets, while helping founders build and grow products that can operate beyond a single country,” said Adeniyi Adebayo, Chief Business Officer at Yango Group.

Alumni Impact: From Fellowship to Founders

In previous cohorts, participants developed solutions across health, education, and engineering. Alumni outcomes include:

  • Internships secured across partner organisations
  • Funding received for community initiatives
  • Startups, digital products, and non-governmental projects launched by graduates
  • Continued work beyond the fellowship, demonstrating long-term impact

Why This Matters for Africa’s Tech Ecosystem

With the African tech ecosystem rapidly growing, programmes like the Yango Fellowship play a critical role in:

  • Nurturing early-stage talent before they reach the market
  • Enabling cross-border collaboration among emerging innovators
  • Building locally relevant solutions that can scale across multiple countriesAddressing the continent’s STEM skills deficit through practical, project-based learning

Event Details at a Glance

Item Details
Programme Yango Fellowship 2026
Number of Fellows 24
Total Applicants 600+
Participating Countries Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mozambique, Ghana
Duration 12 weeks
Focus Applied Artificial Intelligence
Finale Demo Day in Abidjan
Potential Award Seed funding for MVP development

More in News

You may also like